GLAAD - Lansinghttp://www.glaad.org/tags/lansing
enTransgender Mayoral Candidate to Sue Twitter over Defamatory Fake Accounthttp://www.glaad.org/2009/08/27/transgender-mayoral-candidate-to-sue-twitter-over-defamatory-fake-account
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://glaadblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/rsz_m_robinson.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12566" title="rsz_m_robinson" src="http://glaadblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/rsz_m_robinson.jpg" alt="rsz_m_robinson" width="250" height="160" /></a>A transgender woman currently running for Mayor in Nampa, Idaho is planning to sue the social networking site Twitter for allowing a false account posted in her name to remain accessible for weeks after requesting that they take it down.</p>
<p>Melissa Sue Robinson, who entered the mayoral race in June, <a href="http://www.fox12idaho.com/Global/story.asp?S=10975630&amp;nav=menu439_6_6">told KTRV she was shocked</a> to find a link under her name to a Twitter account titled “WomanWithAPenis.” This same account was also reported to have sent lewd tweets to a Michigan reporter. Robinson recounted:</p>
<blockquote><p>I checked Google and I saw something very lewd, very malicious, just downright nasty with my name on it… I e-mailed Twitter and called them and did the same thing with Google and asked them to remove it and that was [a] month ago and they haven't removed it.</p></blockquote>
<p>As of Wednesday, Aug 26<sup>th</sup> however, the false account had been removed in the aftermath of the incident’s national publicity.</p>
<p>Citing KTRV’s primary coverage (which improperly hyphenates the term transgender), <a href="http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid107209.asp">The Advocate.com reported</a> that Robinson plans to file suit for defamation of character and violation of privacy. <a href="http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2009/08/25/trans-mayoral-candidate-sue-twitter-over-fake-account">Digital Media Wire explained</a> that Robinson hopes the court will order Twitter to identify the offending account holder so that she can launch a personal suit against him/her.</p>
<p>The Advocate reported, "A self-described progressive, her [campaign platform] plans include the passage of an LGBT rights ordinance, transportation improvements, and the development of the downtown area."</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that for the time being her energy will have to be diverted from promoting these priorities. Robinson reflected to KTRV, "If you're just a transgender person living your life out, you're working hard doing things to help society, people shouldn't be malicious against you."<a href="http://glaadblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/M-Robinson.jpg"></a></p>
<p>This is not the first time Robinson has encountered difficulties during a political campaign. As a 2003 candidate for Mayor in Lansing, Michigan, Robinson battled a Michigan law that compelled her to include her given name alongside her preferred name on the ballot. ClickOnDetroit.com chronicled her <a href="http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2009/08/25/trans-mayoral-candidate-sue-twitter-over-fake-account">2003 debate with the City</a> over the law, which discriminated against transgender candidates.</p>
<p>Robinson has also petitioned the City of Lansing to adopt a transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance and lobbied the State of Michigan to extend existing anti-discrimination laws to cover transgender individuals. Coincidentally, <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-civilrightslaw,0,6053636.story"><em>The Associated Press</em> reported</a> Wednesday on a bill before Michigan’s House Judiciary Committee, which would do just that. However, <em>The AP</em> added that “similar legislation introduced in Michigan in recent years has not advanced.”</p>
<p>GLAAD will continue to keep you updated of media surrounding Robinson’s case.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pubdate field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">August 27, 2009</span></div></div></div>
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<div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/issues/local-and-regional-news">Local and Regional News</a></li>
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<div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
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<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/anti-discrimination-law">anti-discrimination law</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/discrimination">Discrimination</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/idaho">Idaho</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/lansing">Lansing</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/mayor">Mayor</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/michigan">Michigan</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/politics">politics</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/transgender">: transgender</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/twitter">Twitter</a></li>
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Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:16:45 +0000AnnaWipfler32257 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/2009/08/27/transgender-mayoral-candidate-to-sue-twitter-over-defamatory-fake-account#comments